Credit card charges are expected to be introduced from 22 March 2014 by DIBP on all its fees and charges. RMAs should properly adjust their costing disclosures to clients to reflect the expected price increase noting that the RBA allows for ‘reasonable costs’ to be recovered.

In aligning itself to commercial practice and improve its bottomline, DIBP has decided to recover credit card merchant fees from clients by adding a surcharge on credit card payments for all payments to DIBP. The surcharge could boost DIBPs bottomline by $14 million a year.

DIBPs financial statements indicate that despite a revenue of about 1.48 billion in FYE 2012-2013, its expenses, which largely come from border protection spending, led to a deficit of about $94 million for the year.

DIBP has not provided any indication of what the additional charges will be. Commercial operations charges vary widely and may range between 1.5% and 3% (sometimes even more). However, government agencies’ rates are generally half of that range. For instances, currently the Australian Tax Office (ATO) charges credit card merchant fees for payments at the rate of 0.42% for Visa and MasterCard payments and 1.45% for payments by American Express cards. DIBP is expected to announce its rates soon.

The MRT-RRT have requested that Migration Alliance provide this news to members:

Amendments to the Privacy Act 1988 commenced on 12 March 2014. The amendments are applicable to Australian government agencies and to many private sector organisations and involve the introduction of new Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Further information about the changes can be found on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website.

To comply with the privacy reforms the tribunals have released an updated Privacy Policy and new versions (Design date 03/14) of M1, M2 and R1 ‘Application for review’ forms. Previous versions of the ‘Application for review’ forms released in July 2013 (Design date 07/13) will not be accepted by the tribunals after 30 June 2014. Printouts of applications generated by the tribunals’ online application system are not affected and remain valid.

In a recent management committee meeting Migration Alliance moved motions to accept two incoming board members.  To view the new Migration Alliance Committee please click here.

Gary Christensen - Treasurer (photo inset)

Gary is a Registered Migration Agent. Gary holds a Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law & Practice from the Australian National University, and is currently completing a Masters of Migration Law and Practice (Griffith University) and is working towards a Bachelor of Laws. Prior to obtaining registration, Gary worked as a legal support officer for Hardy Lawyers, a legal practice in Newcastle NSW specialising in Australian Immigration Law. 

The media and unions have begun a widespread campaign against the lifting of the cap on the number of workers that employers can bring into Australia on the sc457 visa. This goes against the view of both the coalition government and the business community who maintain that s457 program is targeted at specific skills shortages and that employers need more flexibility and less red-tape at a time of economic volatility. How do you fill the job gap?

According to parliamentary documents, the sc457 program is “driven by employer demand, and built on the premise that it does not undermine job opportunities for Australians. It allows employers to access overseas workers where a genuine skill shortage exists or, in effect, where a suitably qualified Australian worker is not available.”

The parliamentary paper by Gareth Larsen (The subclass 457 visa: a quick guide), also states, “Businesses must make a commitment to meet the prescribed training benchmarks for the program, which require an ongoing commitment to training activities for Australian citizens and permanent residents, and that at least 75 per cent of their workforce are Australian residents or citizens. Employers must attest to having a strong record of, or commitment to, employing local labour and non-discriminatory employment practices. Employers must pay employees a rate equivalent to comparable local wages, and must not underpay their employees or deduct money without the employee’s consent for such purposes as rent or board. Employers must also provide a clear understanding of the skills and experience required for the position, and identify where the employee will be working.”

The Migration Alliance notes that the sc457 program has strict guidelines and places onerous obligations on business sponsors. The program is aimed at occupations and industries which have a skills shortages as determined by extensive research by the Department of Employment and related agencies. 

Recent DIBP figures indicate there are 90 780 primary sc457 visa holders in Australia of whom almost two-thirds are categorised as professionals and managers. Almost half of all sc457 visas were granted to foreign workers in the accommodation, telecommunications and healthcare, whereas the projected job-cuts are largely in manufacturing, retail and government sectors. Caps across the board on s457 will thus hurt growing businesses.

Leaked emails tell DIBP staff not to use the word 'sympathise' in their letters. 

DIBP staff have been told not to use the word "sympathise" in correspondence from ministers, in a directive passed on by senior bureaucrats last month, reports the ABC.

The ABC has revealed that it has received a DIBP internal email which instruct DIBP staff to use the word 'acknowledge' instead of 'sympathise' in their correspondence.